Fly-catching device



(No Model.)

-H. THUM.

FLY OATOHING DEVICE.

No. 601,183. Patented Mar. 22,1898.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT .FFICE.

HUGO THUM, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

FLY-CATCHING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 601,183, dated March 22, 1898.

7 Application filed July 19, 1897- Serial No. 645,108. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUGO THUM, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Fly-Catching Device, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful devices for catching flies by means of sticky material placed on a suitable web or cord; and the invention consists, essentially, in a package and means for packing the web and of removing the same and in the details of construction and arrangement of parts hereinafterparticularly described and claimed.

The objects of my invention are, first, to combine with a web or cord a suitable holder for retaining the web or cord, which is sealed so as to prevent the sticky compound from evaporating and still'always ready for use; second, to furnish a packing-case that will allow the web or cord to be readily drawn out and covered with a sufficient quantity of the sticky material for practical use, and,

third, to construct a cheap and convenient holder which can'be readily used and which will at the same time furnish a safe-package for containing both the web and the sticky compound, substantially as hereinafter described. These objects I accomplish by means of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which'- Figure 1 shows an elevation of the package containing my ily-catching device with the web or cord folded within the holder and with the holder sealed ready for packing and shipping, and Fig. 2 shows an elevation of the same with the seal removed and the web or cord drawn out ready for use.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout both views.

A represents the holder, which is preferably a slender vial having a comparatively small diameter, so that the cord may be packed within the holder in any suitable manner and can be drawn out without kinking or knotting. The material of which the holder A is constructed is preferably glass, but any other suitable substance may beused. At the upper end of the holder or vial I provide an openin g of comparatively large sizepreferably of a size nearly as large as the inside diameter of'the holder itself. This openingis closed by a stopper, (shown by C.) By providing this large opening the cord or web can be more readily crowded or packed into the holder. The sticky compound is placed in the holder and the holder is filled with this material up to a point to cover the folded part of the web, as shown by J. The part of theweb above the folded portion, as shown in Fig. 1,does not contain any sticky material. The uncoated part of the web is shown by B in both figures. It is my intent to use just enough of the sticky compound to thoroughly coat the folded part of the web and no more, leaving the uncoated part of the web entirely free from said sticky compound. The part of the web covered by the sticky compound is shown by D.

The stopper 0 is provided with an opening E,through which the web'passes. This opening is of just sufficient size to allow the web to be drawn out and to carry adhering thereto enough of the sticky compound for practical use in catching flies and no more, the surplus, if any there be, being scraped from the web and remaining in the bottle, the opening being of sufficient size to gage accurately the amount of sticky compound which is to be drawn out with the web. When the web is folded within the vial or holder, I place around the web or cord at the upper end of the stopper a seal which completely seals the opening and renders the receptacle or vial air-tight. This seal is shown in the drawings by F. The seal F is composed of any suitable material to form an air-tight sealing and yet be of such consistency that it may be readily removed from the stopper .by drawing out the web, to which it will ad withdrawn from the holder.

In using my device the web or cord is drawn out to any required distance and the loop H is placed upon a hook, nail, or other suitable support, and the holder and web are thereby supported. The knot K will prevent the web from entirely escaping from the holder.

The form of the holder is of importance, the same being small in cross-section, like that of a slender Vial, and this enables me to merely crowd the web into the holder without any care in reference to how it folds in the inside of the vial or holder, and the said web will draw out readily when placed within such slender vial or holder without kinking or knotting. The holder also forms a weight which retains the drawn-out Web in position when in use and also prevents it from coming in contact with adjacent objects. The opening in the stopper forms a convenient means for removing the surplus sticky compound, if any there should be, leaving the drawn-out web in the most efficient condition to receive and retain the flies. The package when closed and sealed can be safely packed and transported, and as it is air-tight the compound will not escape, but may be kept for a long time without injury and is always ready for use on a moments notice.

Having thus described myinvention, what Iclaim to have invented, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In combination with a slender receptacle or holder, a web folded within the same, a stopper having an opening through which the web passes, said opening in said stopper being of suificient size to remove all the surplus sticky compound before the web is withdrawn from the holder, and a seal for the opening in said stopper, said seal being of such consistency as to be readily removed by the drawing out of the web, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presence of two witnesses.

HUGO 'TIIUM. [n 5.]

I Witnesses:

ARTHUR O. DENIsoN, CHRISTOPHER IIONDELINK. 

